Review: Love, Unexpectedly by Susan Fox

At thirty-one, Kat Fallon's luck with men shows no sign of improving. But when she asks her best friend Nav Bharani to be her date at her younger sister's wedding in Vancouver, she has no idea that she's about to get on board the most surprising ride of her life...Nav has been secretly in love with Kat ever since he moved in next door. When she reveals that she loves taking train rides, especially the meeting-strangers part, Nav devises a plan to win Kat's heart. On every leg of her trip to Vancouver, he shows up disguised as a different sexy stranger. Stunned by Nav's daring, Kat finds herself succumbing to his inventive transformations. But what starts out as an innocent adventure soon becomes much more for Kat as she is forced to choose between her long-held fantasies of the perfect mate - and the prospect of something far more real...

I do not judge short stories on the rush of their relationships, because they are just that - short stories. So, yes the relationships always could have been drawn out more, yea it seems like they fall in love to fast and of course the story could have been made longer... but it is a short story. So with that said....

Let me say that is the second book in the Wild Ride series, but you do not have to read them in order. The sisters integrate themselves in all of the book and Ms. Susan does it in a way that you are never lost, which is refreshing.

Now on to the story... Kat Fallon is the second to eldest of the Fallon daughters, she is known as Ms. Socialite. When I first encounter Kat, my thoughts of her ran along the lines of her being shallow and superficial. It went from her choice in wine (the best of the best), to her clothes (the top brand labels) to her men (they had to have it all ~ on the surface). She has a very successful job and she is very good at what she does. She is a PR for a well known hotel; she takes pride in that. Living in the shadows of her older sister was never easy, but Kat manged it. Her parents were of academic standing and well known in their community. They wanted the same for all their daughters. She had the same genes her parents had, they were happily married for however many years. Why could she not find love?

Naveen Bharani is new to Canada, but determined to make it own his own as a photographer. His passion, until he meets Kat. He moves into her apartment building and from first sight, he is smitten with her. But... and that is a big but... Kat puts a label on him as she does with everything in her life... his label - her best friend. The person she gets cozy with on the couch to watch old movies, the person she runs to when her heart gets handed back to her after loser #x. He is the person who knows her insides and out and still loves her. He has lived this way for two very long years and he has had enough. What was so unexpectedly about him trying to change Kat's view of him?

By being best friends, Kat felt safe in asking Nav to her sister's Merilee's wedding. No complications, no romantic entanglements but most of all... no jabbing or pity remarks from her family for the guy she brought with her. She knew they would love and accept Nav. Of course Nav says yes; because not long ago, she was dumped by loser #whatever and it was time to change up the playing field. Nav had earned the title Best Friend but he wanted more. So he created a plan. He heard Kat mention that on train rides a she imagines the world is a different place, loses inhibitions and lets her guard down. So, Nav hatched up a plan... he was going to be a stranger on the train for Kat and slowly, seductively seduce her to win her heart.

Kat got on my nerves. Not in a bad way, although there were times when I wanted to take her by her shoulders and shake the crap out of her. She got on my nerves because she was real to me. She was so worried about losing her friendship with Nav that she never wanted to open herself up to the possibilities that were out there. But I loved her for all of her insecurities. Remember real being the keyword here. She truly wanted to figure out why she was attracted to losers, why she could not get her hands on true love. She was scare of allowing people to get to deep with her. She was scare she was not enough for them, or good enough. But those are reasons to love her. Aren't we all scare of showing the real us to the public. Scare of rejection, scare of being laughed at, made fun of, ~ not being loved.

Nav, you can not help but to fall in love with him. He gives it his damnest to win Kat over. He does what some of us wish we could - he grabs the bull by the horns and runs with it. He knows he may only have one chance to prove to Kat that his love for her is rock solid and that one chance is on that train with her. All to himself. But can he pull it off. He has once shed the life of doing what people expected from him when he left home. So by all means, he was tried of being just the friend. He wanted more from her and he knew she was capable of giving it. He just had to show her that she was capable of giving it. That is why you have to love Nav. He truly was there for Kat, to show her the real person - behind the glamor. And to show her that he wanted to love her through of it.

This book had me in all kind of emotional states. Some moments I was shaking my ereader, cursing at Kat for being so stupid for not seeing what was right in front of her. Then others, I wanted to take Nav in my arms and hold him. Then there were moments I found myself saying "Awwwww" to "I know you just did not do that." Ms. Susan did an amazing job at pulling at the heartstrings in this one.

Then just when you think the story is only of the these two, Ms. Susan stirs the Fallon family pot. Love, Unexpectedly opens the door for a few of the daughters to have that "light bulb" moment with each other. And that was a very nice touch since this series is about the four of them. Because it not only about the encounter with finding love, but with loving themselves and each other. The true meaning of sisterhood.

To find out more of what Ms. Susan has in store, please visit her website -->> here.

This was a great review pookey-pie! ;o) I love stories where the girl always has high expectations for her men yet falls for the least expected guy! Friends become lovers is great! I REALLY want to check this one out! Thanks sweetie!

Queen ~ Hey hon! This book could be a mixed bag of emotions... as far as reviewing goes. I kinda take books at face value - they are here to entertain us, make us fall in love, break our hearts and put it back together again. And for short stories, that is even tougher for the author to do under some many pages... So, I give credit to those that can write and make those things happen for me. Over all this is a great book! I hope you try and come and let me know what you think, please!

Host ~ Hey hon, it is tricky to write a review for short stories... but some how it eventually comes together! I hope all is well honey!

Monroe ~ Hey sweetie pie! =)if you love that aspect, then this story will suck you right on in... Cuz high expectation is what she has, but they seem to fall flat for her and for the life of her - she can figure out why... Until Nav makes her think... And he really makes her think, lmbo!!Hope you have a great day!

Elaing ~ Hey honey! How are you!? I hope you do read it... come and let me know what you thought of it! I love to hear another opinion of the books we read!

Sweet! Morning honey! This is a great short story.. She has the third sister's book she is working on next. That one should be very interesting. This sister does not believe in monogamy... Kinda a hippie chick! Should be very intriguing to see how and who she makes it to the wedding with!! I have to say I love that the books revolve around them coming home for M&M's wedding!Have a great day hon!

Hey Chris!Yea... but sometimes it makes me feel a little like she is real - cuz I have people like that in life.. next to me, lol! And it does make for a good story. Cuz if I want to shake her... just makes me want to see her through the story... Just to make sure I did not have slap her not only shake!Have a great day hon!

Hi Cecile - You were shaking your e-reader huh :)...I love it when a book can stir all kinds of responses from a reader. That means it is getting to you and now I must find out for myself :D Plus I always love the power and strength of a sister bond!

Thanks, Cecile, for a very good review. Short stories are not really my favorite genre, -- I can remember thinking of all that could have been done with the story and the characters -- but they do have their place and are often real gems. Thanks for sharing . . . and as always, I really enjoy your blog!

Leontine! Hey honey! Girl, I was shaking the damn thing!!!! Like I told Chris.. I do love (at times) when you have to shake a character to make her/him see what is right in front of them. Makes them whole/real.. And this book(s) definitely have the sister bond.

Another thing I did not mention in the review is the conversations they carry.. Ms. Susan carries them in all the books. So you can go reference them in the other books as well. That was a nice touch that she did that.

Blodeuedd ~ Hey honey! Thank you!You are right, there are good points and bad points to wanting to shake your character.. but this was for the good.. She needed to see what was right in front of her. She loved him to much to want to screw up the friendship they had. Which was awesome!

Smokinhotbooks ~ Hey honey! Thanks for coming over! Ohhh now that you say that... You are right.. Might have to watch that movie.. Humm..Thanks again honey!

Dr J!! Hey Ma'am!! Thanks for coming over! It means a lot that you come over! More that you comment, but thanks either way for coming!!! Yea, that is why I stick that little warning label before my review of a short story... I like short stories.. but I will not criticize them for being so. That is what the author wanted to give... then I will take! But some could go ooohhhh so farther!!! Thanks for coming!

Patti ~ Hey honey! Thanks for coming over! It was a great book to read! The series is hot!

"I do not judge short stories on the rush of their relationships, because they are just that - short stories. So, yes the relationships always could have been drawn out more, yea it seems like they fall in love to fast and of course the story could have been made longer... but it is a short story."

That's the exact reason why I try to avoid short stories. Unless the characters have been established in a prior novel (or short story), I don't usually buy the whole 'I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER' lines. It's too soon!

I'd prefer to see the relationship develop and the story end with them looking forward to the future. That, I think, would leave the reader imagining their own version of a HEA, and developing that relationship on their own terms.

Wow! It's hard to keep up with you sweetie...how do you read so fast and still find time to do all the many toher things you do!???

Ah, I remember what it was like to be 35...yeah, back then I could do it all too.

Now...I'm just struggling with getting a book done and working with my new hair cut! It's better today...well, at least I don't look like I've got a cotton head.ONe thing about short hair...you get a lot....way too much...body!LOL

You really did it this time....you got me with the sisters at the end! Now I've got to go get this book! Cecile, you're costing me money here! }:-/ Tooo many good books I now have to buy...because of your great reviews!

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